'"In the name of God, sir," I replied fervently, "here is my hand!"
"It is well," he replied, pressing it gently. "Now give me your arm to the door."
'When we were out in the street, where Mr. Milton's chair was waiting, a military officer approached, and asked me if my name was Julius Winbourne; and when I had replied, said: "Then, Julius Winbourne, I arrest you on the Lord Protector's warrant of high treason."
'"Stay, sir," said Mr. Milton; "do not touch this gentleman. I am John Milton, Latin secretary to the Council of State. I will satisfy the Lord Protector."
'The officer bowed, and retired with his guard, and I saw my preserver safely deposited in his chair with a respect and reverence which I cannot describe, and for which I could hardly account. And—will you believe it, Ubertus?—that very night the members of the Underground Spitfire Club were arrested by a guard of soldiers (the President's and Secretary's chairs being vacant), charged with harbouring treasonable designs against the Lord Protector's person and government; tried by court-martial on the following day, found guilty on the evidence of one of their number, and hanged that same evening!'
'Gracious Heaven!' said I, 'you had a most wonderful escape, Doctor; and saved, too, by no other than John Milton, the famous author of "Paradise Lost"!'
'I know nothing,' continued Julius, 'about "Paradise Lost," but I know I was saved by John Milton—God bless him! Almost every member of our club was in favour of the Commonwealth, but advantage was taken of the jealousies and turbulence of the times by some designing villain to excite against us the suspicious wrath of the ruling powers. Cromwell, though a man of great mental strength and violent passions, had the heart of a coward. The
